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Legal Zoom vs Rocket Lawyer

To help you find the Best Patent Application Services, TopConsumerReviews.com provides you with an in-depth comparison of Legal Zoom and Rocket Lawyer.

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What's the best Patent Application Service? If you've come up with a brilliant idea and want to make sure it's legally protected, getting a patent filed is an essential step. But first, you should understand the differences between patents and other types of protection, like copyright and trademark.

Copyrights are used to claim ownership of a creative expression, like a book, song, or even a piece of computer code. Trademarks are used to protect a brand name, business name, or logo from being used by other companies. On the other hand, patents deal with innovations: a utility patent covers how an invention works, and a design patent protects how it looks.

Patent Application Reviews

Since 1999, LegalZoom has made low-cost legal help available to every American, not just those who can afford expensive attorneys. In those 2+ decades, the company has helped nearly 4 million people with their legal needs, ranging from business issues like forming an LLC or registering trademarks to personal situations like estate planning and designating a power of attorney. LegalZoom has a fantastic track record for customer service, as demonstrated by their "A+" rating with the BBB.

One aspect of this service that we really love is that LegalZoom doesn't limit you to certain packages of services when putting together your patent application. You'll pay $199 for your Provisional Application for Patent, which includes three basic steps: complete their online questionnaire, including an illustration of your invention, then LegalZoom completes and compiles your application, and finally they file it on your behalf with the USPTO. That's it! If you have any questions while you're working on your paperwork, US-based LegalZoom agents are available through their toll-free number on a very generous schedule: weekdays from 5a-7p Pacific and weekends from 7a-4p Pacific.

On a side note, be aware that if you are patenting a chemical composition or biological/biotechnological invention, you'll pay an extra $690 for review and preparation by a USPTO-registered agent or attorney.

Your one-time fee includes digitization and color adjustment of your technical drawings. You also are protected by LegalZoom's Peace of Mind Review: in other words, your application is reviewed by an actual human being, to make sure that your information is complete, spelled correctly, and so forth.

Do you need more services than that? Unlike many of their competitors, which require you to pay for a bundle of features that you may not even use, LegalZoom lets you pay a la carte just for what your unique situation requires. Some of these services include:

Professional review and preparation ($390): includes drafting of one independent patent claim, plus coordination of as many as 4 pages of technical illustrations

Professional illustration ($399)

Patent search ($299)

Speaking with an independent attorney (cost varies)

No matter which legal service you use, this company guarantees you'll be satisfied with them as "the best legal document service on the web". While they can't guarantee your patent will be accepted, they promise that if you're unhappy with any of the professional aspects of their service, you can make a claim within 60 days of your purchase and get the problem fixed, get a refund, or receive credit towards other services.

LegalZoom is affordable, reliable, and efficient when it comes to Patent Application Services. You'll only pay for the specific features that you need, which could save you a decent amount of money compared with rival companies who bundle their services. This continues to be one of our favorite choices for most legal needs, including patent applications.

As the only membership-based Patent Application Service in our review, Rocket Lawyer could be a terrific option if you expect needing legal assistance in many different ways. Maybe you want to file for a patent, but you also want to incorporate your business, write up your will, or even sign a prenuptial agreement!

Rocket Lawyer offers a free 7-day trial, making it absolutely risk-free to draft your patent application. If you'd prefer to try out everything they have to offer and decide if a membership is right for you, you can opt to pay $5 for a trial of the Premium plan. You may not spot this option until you've gotten all the way through your patent application; we didn't see the $5 Premium trial advertised anywhere else on the Rocket Lawyer site. At the end of the 7 days, you'll be charged $39.99 per month unless you cancel your account.

Alternately, if you only want to buy the documents needed for your patent application, you can also pay a one-time fee of $39.99. Doing the math, it seems like if you can't get everything you need in the 7-day trial, you'll pay the same whether you subscribe for a month - and get access to all of the service in Rocket Lawyer's library - or you just use their Patent Application Service. (Just saying.)

When it comes to patents, there are three documents available through Rocket Lawyer: Provisional Patent Application, Patent Application Assignment, and Patent Assignment. That's not as many services as our highest-rated provider, but it's still more than enough to get your patent registered with the USPTO. Keep in mind that you'll have to file the documents yourself - Rocket Lawyer's service doesn't include doing that for you - but the process can typically be done very quickly online.

There are other reasons for considering a Premium membership. You also receive a free 30-minute consultation on each new legal matter in which you use their service. Have a question about how to form your LLC? Want to know if your drawings are clear enough for your patent application? You can see how convenient it would be to get a half hour of advice and help!

Another included feature is Document Defense. If something goes awry with your patent, Rocket Lawyer's on-call attorneys will review your situation and help you get your application back on track. If you wind up needing to hire an attorney, you can get 40% off the hourly fees when you hire a Rocket Lawyer professional.

What comes up missing with Rocket Lawyer, compared with our top two picks for Patent Application Services, are the a la carte extras that some customers need. If you want professional drawings to include with your application, a patent search to determine if your invention is unique and likely to be granted a patent, or professional drafting of your invention claim, you'll have to find those services on your own. Not every inventor will need that kind of help, but it would be nice if Rocket Lawyer made it available, even if only on a referral basis.

Rocket Lawyer has helped over 20 million people access legal help in a way that's affordable, comprehensive, and guaranteed to be valid in all 50 states. If you're looking for a low-cost way to get your Patent Application completed, this is a good option. But, keep in mind that there are some services you'll need to take care of on your own, including the actual filing of your forms with the USPTO.

So, if you've just dreamed up the latest and greatest thing that will revolutionize the world - or if you've just come up with a component that will improve one specific industry - you're on the right track if you think you need to register your patent! But, how do you go about it? Paperwork, filing, fees, and more: if you're not confident that you know all of the steps and when to take them, that's where Patent
Application Services come in.

These services vary, from bare-minimum providers that give you the forms to download along with a list of instructions, to companies that have plenty of experience with walking clients through every single step of the process until the patent is officially registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Of course, all of these services come at a cost, in addition to the fees you'll need to pay
to the USPTO (which are usually between $70 and $280, depending on your entity size). Fortunately, when you consider the time and stress it will save you to take advantage of a Patent Application Service, rather than muddling through on your own and risking costly mistakes, it's generally well worth the money you'll spend.

As you look over the different Patent Application Services on the market today, how can you tell which one is the best fit for your invention? Here are several factors to consider before making your choice:

Services Offered. If you're fairly confident in navigating the patent application process, you may just need a basic DIY service that gives you access to the applicable forms and not much more. On the other hand, if you would like a little hand-holding for your peace of mind, and maybe even direct access to an attorney for any questions you have, a full-service provider will be a better fit.

Value. Some Patent Application Services cost less than $50, while others are well over $500. But, you get what you pay for: make sure that any provider you select is giving you your money's worth. It may be a good idea to pay more upfront for a more robust plan, instead of going for the least expensive option and then winding up having to pay more to get extra help.

Reputation. What do previous clients say about the Patent Application Service? Is help available when needed? Have there been any complaints or complications reported?

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best Patent Application Services on the market today. We hope this information guides you to the service that will get your patent registered accurately and efficiently, to protect the hard work that went into creating your latest brilliant idea!

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